Catalunya

As you can probably tell from my previous posts or from personal experience, Hong Kong is all about hype. There is always a hot new restaurant that people are dying to try but only a few reach the level of buzz that Catalunya created. Catalunya has been packed from day one and this can be attributed to stellar reputation of its sister restaurant Catalunya Singapore and also to the background of the executive chef. The executive chef is Alain Devahive Tolosa and has worked with the legendary Ferran Adrià of El Bulli. Such strong culinary backing is definitely a strong selling point and have Hong Kong foodies excited way before the opening of Catalunya.

Catalunya Tomato Tartar
This dish was one of the most interesting and innovative dishes of the night. The tomato tartar had the texture of meat and it was such a pleasant surprise to our entire group. It had a robust flavor and it went perfectly with the crispy bread. 

Avocado and Lobster Roll
The avocado was beautifully ripe and creamy and enveloped the generous portion of lobster. This dish was quite good, but not particularly memorable. The presentation, however, is quite whimsical and cute.

Cantabrian Anchovies
Nothing much to say here haha, pretty decent anchovies for you anchovy eating folk.

Ham, Cheese, and Truffle "Bikini"
This is one of the most raved about items from Catalunya. Although this was delicious, I don't think I would pay this price for such a simple dish that I can easily make at home. Despite this fact, it was very delectable and I could nom on this all day.

Cod Fritters 
Many in our group did not enjoy this as they thought it was a bit heavy or salty (I forgot) but I think this was quite ok. It was a bit on the heavy side but the fritter was well done and was very hearty. Perhaps it would be better if each fritter was smaller and a little less dense. 

Jamon Iberico Croquette
The croquettes were lovely and crispy on the outside and fluffy on it inside. Solidly made croquettes but perhaps some aioli would make it even better (it would make anything better mmm).

The Other Spanish Tortilla
This item was raved about in my dinner party. I usually would go crazy for this type of dish but for some reason I was not particularly amazed by this. It was executed perfectly though for once you cut through the thin yet still tender egg layer the cheese and fluffy potato mixture oozes out gloriously. Perhaps I was not in a very eggy mood (which is VERY rare) but while I enjoyed this dish I was not madly scooping away at seconds. I do recommend that you get this though as it was delicious.

"Estrellados" with Chorizo
This is a very hearty dish for those who like chorizo. It reminds me of a breakfast skillet with the potatoes, egg, and meat. I am not a huge fan of large chunks of potato so I did not take too many bites of this. 

Lobster Rice
The rice was cooked perfectly and was smothered with a rich lobstery sauce. The presentation was also very appealing with a half lobster plopped atop the rice. 

Pineapple Roasted with Spices 
I was a bit judgmental as to who ordered this pineapple when it first came but I quickly realized my mistake when I took my first bite. The grilling allowed the pineapple to attain a caramelized sweetness and the spices accentuated the natural flavor of the pineapple. Yum!

Lamb Shoulder 
The lamb was roasted to perfection with the meat so tender that it was falling off the bone (sorry very cliche food blog line over here). The seasoning of the lamb was quite basic but it allowed for the flavor of the meat to shine. 

Mediterranean Red Prawns 
I did not try this dish so no comment!

Traditional Suckling Pig "Segovian Style" D.O. Teruel
Hello babe on a tray! The whole suckling pig display may be a tad disturbing for most but it was so so yummy. This dish was served the traditional way which mean chopping the piggy up with a plate... how that tradition came about I can't even begin to hypothesize. The pig was one of my favorite dishes of the night! The meat simply melted in your mouth and had a lovely thin layer of fat. The skin was thin and crisp and the seasoning was spot on. A MUST order if you are here. 

Torrija - Soft and Sweet Warm Bread with Smoked Milk Ice Cream
Ahhh this was SO delicious. I am a sucker for bread pudding and this dessert was just amazing. The bread was tenderly soft and creamy and the outside was caramelized to a crispy perfection. The ice cream was delectably sweet and the chilly coldness went perfectly with the warm bread. The serving should be much much bigger because I could not stop eating this!

Cheese Flan
I don't have very vivid memories of this dish but it should be quite decent. It was smooth but the flavor of cheese was not too apparent.

Rice - Cream Rice and Milk Pudding
This dessert was another perfect ending to our meal. The rice pudding was lusciously creamy and divinely sweet. 

Catalunya was a enjoyable dining experience but I do not think it deserves the insane amount of hype its been receiving. I would want to return again when I have the craving for high quality spanish cuisine but I wouldn't make a massive effort to try and score a reservation. Most of the dishes were executed extremely well yet I was not BLOWN away to the extent that I felt like I had to tell all my friends to go and try it as soon as possible. Nevertheless it is definitely a restaurant that I believe has staying power as it does serve very solid food in a sophisticated environment.

Catalunya

Guardian House

32 Oi Kwan Road

Wan Chai

Hong Kong